Point-of-care C-reactive protein measurement by community health workers safely reduces antimicrobial use among children with respiratory illness in rural Uganda: A stepped wedge cluster randomized trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is one of the most common reasons children receive antibiotic treatment. Measurement of C-reaction protein (CRP) has been shown to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use among children with ARI in a range of clinical settings. In many resource-constrained contexts, patients seek care outside the formal health sector, often from lay community health workers (CHW). This study's objective was to determine the impact of CRP measurement on antibiotic use among children presenting with febrile ARI to CHW in Uganda.

Methods and findings

We conducted a cross-sectional, stepped wedge cluster randomized trial in 15 villages in Bugoye subcounty comparing a clinical algorithm that included CRP measurement by CHW to guide antibiotic treatment (STAR S

SUBMITTER: Ciccone EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11407643 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature